Why did Hitler's last offensive on western front fail?

Question

I mean isn't it amazing that he is able to assemble more than 600,000 without the knowledge of the Americans and British while latter in Christmas festive mood?

Answer 1

Hitler's last offensive on the Western front was the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, for which he gathered his last reserves of armour, petrol and, as you point out, men.

The Ardennes Offensive had some initial sucess because it achieved surprise and because it was launched in appalling weather conditions. These prevented the Allies from flying: once the weather improved the Germans did not stand a chance against allied bombers and fighter-bombers that could destroy tanks etc. In addition, whilst the offensive started with the capture of many prisoners and breaking of the line, there was brave resistance at key points, notably by the American troops at the key road centre of Bastogne.

The Ardennes Offensive could never have won the war. The aim was to capture the Allies' main supply port at Antwerp. Hitler hoped that this would get the Western powers to negotiate peace and to change sides to defeat the evil Stalin. Given that we now know Stalin killed more people than Hitler, this is not as silly as it sounds. However, the Nazis did not begin to understand how appalled the West was by the Concentration Camps and that this made working with the Nazis, let alone Hitler, inconceivable.

Germany was so short of petrol that even to reach Antwerp they needed to capture fuel dumps, which they narrowly failed to do.

Your reference to Christmas festive mood is gravely mistaken. Christmas 1944 in Britain, particularly, was a grim time. Food was short and the long war meant that things like clothes not easily available in the War were wearing out. The Allies had hoped that the War might be won in 1944. The failure at Arnhem left Holland in German hands, from where V2 rockets could reach London (although as part of the Adennes offensive the germans aimed them at Antwerp instead). One might comment that the Americans were not in such straits: they used shipping to supply their troops in Europe with food and comforts at a level the English did not begin to approach. A major influence on the morale of English troops was not Christmas, when they were too long used to fighting, but concern that the Yanks back in Britain (e.g. at the many USAF bases) would take away their wives and girlfriends with gifts of stockings and ice cream.

Answer 2

It was destined to fail because once the attack actually got under way. The army had to use Enigma, and the British were reading the enigma codes like they read the newspaper. Prior to the attack they army had maintained radio silence, so there was almost no clues as to the build up for the attack.

Also the Americans had bombed out the oil refineries and key factories, the British bombed the roads in the Ardennes Forest, I suspect the Germans had lost access to the oil fields in Romania, , the Russians were closing in, the German troops were probably reserves or were poorly trained and ill-equipped, the Allies had developed a radar - shell which exploded just before it hit the ground (which increased the effectiveness of the blast), the Allies had air superiority and radio navigation aids so they could bomb at night or above clouds, and the Germans hadn't any reserves and supplies left because these were the reserves and supplies.

Answer 3

It failed for several reasons. The British and American forces on the northern flank of the attack into the Ardennes reacted more quickly than expected and caused resorces to be diverted from the main central thrust of the attack. This caused the main attack to fail in it's objective to capture a large fuel dump well behind the Allied lines. The resultant lack of fuel led to the German Panzers being abandoned or destroyed by their own crews when they ran out of fuel. A secondary factor was the weather, which cleared earlier than expected, allowing the Allies to demonstrate their complete air superiority and destroy the German units still fighting. I expect an American will mention Bastogne. Although it did prevent the Germans from carrying out their plans to the letter, it was in no way militarially decisive.

Answer 4

The Ardennes offensive, called "the battle of the bulge", was NOT the last offensive. A month later, there was an offensive into the French proince of Lorraine, they took an area larger than the bulge, and kept it longer.

Ultimately it failed be cause the allies has greater resources. Hitler was under attack from all sides by that time, and losing resources every day.

Answer 5

WW1 grew to become into Over in 1916 the Politicians have been already talking Peace in simple terms the words have been Disagreed with however the protection stress disagreed and believed they could win Ha Berlin had foodstuff Riots the German military Mutinied by way of fact of loss of foodstuff and supplies it grew to become into purely the army that had Jewish officers that needed to combat Hitler Hated the Jews in the previous WW1 he Blamed the Jews for his mothers dying he Blamed the Jews by way of fact he ought to no longer Paint he Blamed the Jews by way of fact they have been good at employer and he and different Germans weren't this stupid thought of Blaming the Treaty for WW2 is All American rubbish the German government placed a miles bigger treaty on the Russians In WW1 that made the treaty against Germany appear as if a slap on the wrist to blame the Treaty of Versailles for WW2 Is rubbish Hitler by no ability mentiones the treaty he in simple terms omitted all of it of us understand that if the USA beginning with the Rockefeller's had no longer Financed Hitler to the music of 32 Million money from 1924 to 1933 No Hitler No NAZI party and If JP Morgan had no longer set up the Hitler Fund in 1933 that gave Hitler and the NAZIS the money to pass into the 1933 election marketing campaign that positioned Hitler In ability there would not have been a WW2 reason and effect No money No Hitler No WW2 and espresso and behold there might nonetheless have been the very honest Treaty If the USA had no longer been Interfering in German Politics from 1924 to 1945 with the creation of the Dawes and youthful plans there could have been no money to rebuild the Factories all Funded From company united states of america and Wall St specific people will continuously blame something else to conceal the reality WHO """""

Answer 6

It failed because the number of men doesn't matter if they can't be supplied properly and don't have air power to protect them. By that point in the war German industry was destroyed and they had no fuel that would last any length of time.

Answer 7

bcause of the expertise of the British armed forces, notably the Royal Air Force

Answer 8

because of his dictatorial trends

Answer 9

Coz he's an A**hole/.God bless!

Answer 10

I heard it was syphilis.